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Dunhuang

This site was operational radiometric calibration and validation for Chinese satellite sensors in 2001, and located on the east edge of the Kumutage Penniform Desert in Gansu province, South-West China. It is a Gobi desert, and about 35 km west
the city of Dunhuang . The whole target area for vicarious calibration is situated on a stabilised alluvial fan, 30 km x 30 km size. The area used for high spatial sensors (such as CBERS, TM etal) vicarious calibration measurements is approximately 400 m x 400 m in the centre of the fan and the surface comprises cemented gravels, and 15km×15km for low spatial sensors (Such as NOAA/AVHRR, FY-1/FY-3 optical imagers and EOS/MODIS etal ) vicarious calibration with no vegetation.

Sources of meteorological data for the site include the Dunhuang-PAM automated weather station, which is part of the Asian Automatic Weather Station Network. Atmospheric aerosols over the site are typical of a rural continental location, although some larger particles were observed, possibly influx from the sand dunes to the north-west. Sandstorms affect the site on around 8 days per annum and atmospheric dust is a significant factor on around 60 days per annum. [1]

It is one of the CEOS LANDNET Sites. The site is managed by NSMC/CMA; for more detailed information regarding the site, the point of contact is Xiuqing Hu (huxq@cma.gov.cn)